Balochistan budget session marred by clashes between opp members, police

The budget session of the Balochistan assembly commenced under the chair of Speaker Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo after chaotic scenes witnessed outside the assembly, reported 24NewsHD TV channel Friday.

Balochistan Finance Minister Mir Zahoor Ahmad Buledi presented the budget during the session.

The police used armoured vehicles to broke into the Balochistan assembly building after the assembly building in Quetta came under opposition parties siege as they surrounded the provincial assembly building and locked all the doors.

The police resorted to baton charge and tear gas shelling to disperse the opposition members who are adamant to not let the government to present the budget. There are also reports of injuries during the clash between the police and the opposition parties’ members.

The opposition has stationed its members on all the corridors leading to the Balochistan assembly and said that they would not let the government present what they termed a people-enemy budget.

The main leadership of the opposition was staging a sit-in in front of the main door of the assembly building when the police operation starts.

Chief Minister Balochistan Jam Kamal Khan and a few lawmakers have arrived at the assembly. The Opposition's protest and clashes intensified, as per reports, when the chief minister arrived at the assembly. The opposition members attacked CM Jam Kamal and threw shoes and empty bottles towards him.

Opposition MPA Nasrullah Zehray accused the police of using violent methods to disperse the "peaceful protest" outside the assembly. Sana Baloch, another MPA, lashed out at the government, saying that the province was at its worst state since its inception. He said lawmakers Abdul Wahid Siddiqui and Babar Rahim Mengal had been injured by the police's armoured vehicle.

 The budget session for the Balochistan assembly was scheduled to start at 4:00pm.

A delegation headed by deputy commissioner Quetta has held the talks with the opposition but to no avail and after that additional security staff has been deputed.

The budget session has created difficulties for the people as well as all the roads leading to the red zone and adjacent area of the Balochistan assembly has been sealed.

The eastern part has been cut off from the west part of the city and there was the worst traffic jam in the city and school children, women and ambulances have remained stuck in the traffic mess.

All the traffic coming into the city has been barred from entering the city.